Dassai at Momokawa Restaurant

My good friend and sake sommelier extraordinaire Chizuko-san alerted me to a special tasting event that was happening at Momokawa Restaurant (157 East 28th Street New York, NY 10016). Now, I DO know the Dassai brand very well, but I have never been to Momokawa, so I was intrigued to try a new place. I eat Japanese food a lot in NYC, so finding a new place would be a great find.

From street level, you need to go down stairs and then up spiral stairs inside to reach the dining room. This may be a feng shui consultant’s nightmare, but once you navigate your way, you will find it’s work the trip.

I was greeted by Chizuko-san and Sakurai-san from Dassai Brewery. Momokawa normally specializes in shabu-shabu, but on this night I was focused on Dassai. They were offering a special appetizer tasting of 3 Dassai sakes with individual food pairings.

Here is what we had as part of the Dassai Tasting:

Dassai 39 Junmai Daiginjo paired with marinated sardines. The sardines were delicious but on the bone. Peeling off the fish, it was delicious and succulent, a great match for Dassai 39.

Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo paired with rich chicken liver paté. I was surprised how much I loved the liver! It’s not usually my thing, but I have to say I really enjoyed the rich flavor of this dish.

Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo Nigori paired with white fish sashimi. This sashimi was my favorite dish of the evening. The freshness of the fish was a delightful contrast to the fresh fish. I really enjoyed this pairing.

All in all, this was a fantastic adventure in a great new restaurant! I can’t wait to go back and try the shabu shabu! It was fun seeing Sakurai-san and Chizuko-san at this tasting. I was so happy to learn that Dassai 39 is now being imported into the US! this was great news for all of us. It’s a wonderful addition to the sakes available here! If you get a chance, stop by Momokawa restaurant and try whatever Dassai Pairing they have on the menu – it’s delicious! Enjoy and Kanpai!